Fiction - Ozark Retreat - Part II

[Jerry D Young]

Ozark Retreat - Part II - Prolog

“I don’t know, Sweetie,” Joshua Hardcastle said. “With things going the way they are, I don’t think going on a world cruise is such a good idea.”

“It’s because of Precious, isn’t it?” She used Joshua’s daughter’s name almost like a curse. “She’s a spoiled little brat and you shouldn’t cave in to her the way you do. She should be making a living for herself, not living off you.”

“Of course Sue Billingsly living off me is all right,” Joshua thought, but didn’t say. “I like it this way. She’s the only family I have or am likely to have.” Sue had told him that outright. No babies.

“You have me,” Sue said, slithering over to him and plastering her body against his. “Don’t I keep you happy?”

“You do. You do,” he said. And thought, “In bed.”

“Let’s wait until Precious gets here. Maybe she’ll want to go. I feel bad about what happened the other day.”

Sue un-plastered herself from her Sugar Daddy. A conniving frown curled her lips. “We need to leave tomorrow to get on the cruise. You believe me, don’t you? She’s the one that did it.”

“Of course I do, Sweetie. Of course.” Of course he’d never known Precious to lie to him, either. They couldn’t both be telling the truth.

Sue used her best weapon. She took Joshua’s hand and tugged. “Let’s go upstairs. I’m in the mood.”

It was too good an offer to refuse. Joshua went along eagerly.


While Joshua was napping, afterwards, Sue got on the computer in the bedroom. She took his wallet from his pants and pulled out the Platinum American Express card. It took only moments to finalize the booking on the cruise, with payment in full. She’d been planning this for weeks after she found out the cruise was getting cancellations and bookings were again available. The bags were all packed, stored in a spare bedroom, without Joshua’s knowledge.




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Chapter 1

Joshua couldn’t bring himself to tell his daughter he was leaving, until he was leaving. As the Cruise Ship Elite left New York Harbor, he used his cellular phone to call her before they got out of range. Sue was suddenly no longer in evidence.

“Hi, Precious. I have something to tell you. I’m going on a world cruise with Sue.”

“We’re leaving the port now. Sue and I think you need some time away from me. To do more on your own. I know you can do it. You’ve done it at times before. Don’t be mad, but I’m closing up the house, too, so you’ll have to use your apartment. I put a hundred thousand in your credit card account, so you have plenty of money. And don’t worry about us. Sue thinks this will all blow over, just like always. Bye.”

Sue was back at his side. “How’d she take it?” she asked.

“Very well, actually,” Joshua said, putting away the cell phone. He noticed that Sue seemed to be disappointed.

But she took his arm and said, “Let’s go down and wait for them to open the casino.”

With a sigh, Joshua went with her. He wasn’t too interested in the casino. He’d gambled in most of the major casinos in the world. He’d never won big and he’d never lost big. It just really didn’t interest him much anymore. But the casino wasn’t going to open until after the Lifeboat drill, anyway. They went to their suite and waited for the alarm to sound.

After the drill, Joshua left Sue, a glass of champagne in her hand, at the casino, that excited look in her eye of a gambling addict. She had several addictions, including alcohol. Joshua set about learning his way about the ship. He didn’t like not knowing where everything was. When it was time for their early dinner seating Joshua had to go get her from the casino. She was already moderately drunk.

Joshua got her to the dining room and as much of a meal into her as he could. They were sitting facing the stern of the ship. Suddenly bright lights began to flare in the far distance. “Fireworks for us! Cool!” said Sue.

Absolute quiet fell over the dining room. But it didn’t last. There was total pandemonium as people realized the were watching the nuclear destruction of New York and surrounding areas. Bells began to ring and then the Captain’s voice came over the public address system.

“Be calm. Everyone go back to your staterooms while we find out what is going on. I assure you we are in no immediate danger. Go back to your staterooms. The crew will assist you if you can not locate your stateroom. I will be talking to you again soon.”

Joshua got Sue up on her feet. She was drunk. He half carried her toward the stateroom. He had to struggle slightly. She wanted to go back to the casino. “It’s closed, Sue! We’re at war now. Please. Please. Just let me get you to the stateroom.”

“You’re no fun,” she said, but quit struggling. She seemed to have no grasp as to what had happened. As he started to undress her she tried to turn it into fun and games, but Joshua resisted the urge. He got her undressed and into bed. Hating to need to do it, he got a 50ml bottle of gin from the dispenser in the room and poured her a drink.

Joshua had been in the Navy, an ordinance tech on aircraft carriers. He knew the feeling of a ship suddenly accelerating and turning. They turned left slightly. They were now going almost due north rather than northwest.

Knowing better, Joshua tried to leave the suite. He was ushered back inside unceremoniously. He thought about unpacking the cases, but decided to wait until the Captain spoke again. Joshua checked on Sue. She was out, the empty glass lying on the bed beside her hand.

He took out a book and tried to read in the sitting room of the suite. Finally he just stood by the windows and stared out, thinking about Precious and how big a mistake he’d made.

The Captain didn’t make them wait long. The alerting signal sounded and the public address system came alive again. “This is Captain Roger Bainseborough-Smith. It is my duty to inform you that a thermo-nuclear war has begun. The flashes of light we saw behind the ship were nuclear warheads detonating. Do not worry. We are steaming north by northeast at top speed to try and remove ourselves from the path of any fallout.

“I am going to allow you out of your staterooms now so you can use the facilities of the ship. Stay calm. Please do not go out onto the decks. You will be asked to return to your stateroom if you do so.

“If, in fact, we do begin to experience fallout you will be ordered to the lower levels of the ship. If such is announced, please cooperate with the crew. They will show you to the safest locations in the ship. Thank you. More later.”

The Cruise Director came on and announced the various activities that would be available. Joshua wasn’t interested in the activities. He wanted to know something. Figuring there would at least be some rumors floating around in the various bars on the ship, he left the out-for-the-night Sue and headed for the smoking parlor. He’d have a cigar and a tonic water and see if anyone knew anything else.

No one did, but there was plenty of speculation. Joshua discounted it all and just enjoyed his cigar. He didn’t smoke often, but when he did, he enjoyed it. The cigar done, he headed back to the stateroom. Being among the obviously terrified passengers and crew of the ship was as bad as being in the suite. Quite a few of the passengers were getting drunk.

Joshua had an excellent sense of direction and took the shortest route to his suite. It led him past the children’s arcade and play area. A rather harried looking woman in crew’s uniform was chasing a laughing three or four year old child down the passageway. Another darted out of the play room. Joshua swept the little girl up and swung her in her arms the way he had done with Precious when she was little.

The little girl squealed in delight. The crewperson returned carrying her captive, who was not looking happy at the moment. Another female crewmember came hurrying up and took the girl from Joshua. “Thank you,” the first woman told him.

He read her nameplate. Patricia Paine – Youth Activities Director “Looks like you have your hands full.”

“Yes, we are quite busy. If you’ll excuse me…” She hurried back into the play room and got the little boy involved in a toy before he began crying or screaming. There were a dozen children in the play room and at least that many older ones in the arcade. All of them seemed agitated.

“Feeling the tension of the adults,” Joshua thought to himself.

Only Patricia and the other woman were in evidence. Another child headed for the door, but stopped and stared up at Joshua. Joshua guided him back to the toy box and helped him select a toy as Patricia arbitrated an argument in the Arcade.

It was midnight when the last child’s parents stopped in to pick him up. Joshua had stayed the entire time, helping. Joshua was leaning against the door frame when Patricia came out of the Arcade with the teenaged boy.

“Fallout yet, Dad?” he asked.

“No, son. Still no sign. Your mother and I have been keeping watch.”

“Sure wish we could have brought our BOB’s,” he said as he followed his parents out into the passageway.

Patricia came up to Joshua and thanked him profusely for his help that evening. “Any time,” Joshua replied. “Any time.”

He went to the suite, undressed, and climbed into bed by Sue, wondering what the next few days would bring.


As beautiful as she could make herself, Sue was not a pretty morning person. She seldom let Joshua see her until she’d showered and had on make up. It usually wasn’t a difficult task. Joshua normally got up early and went for a run each morning. He was still in the suite when Sue woke up, groaning.

He went to the door of the bedroom of the suite and asked, “You okay this morning?”

“Yeah. Yeah. What happened last night?”

Joshua explained it to her. He wasn’t sure she believed him, but she nodded and went to the bathroom. He went to the sitting room and waited for her. She took her usual hour to get ready. They were late for the dining room breakfast, but were able to get something at the buffet.

Watching the people moving around, Joshua decided many of them were in denial. The routine seemed normal for a cruise. It was the same with the crew. Most were acting as if nothing had happened. But as the day wore on, people began to talk. The Captain had not addressed the ship again.

The crew was still not letting anyone on deck. Sue asked for more casino money. He refused. Sue got an ugly look on her face, but it was gone in an instant. Joshua wasn’t even sure if he’d seen it.

“Is it okay if I try the ATM? They have one, you know. I checked.”

“Sure,” Joshua responded. He didn’t bother to tell her it wouldn’t be working. “I couldn’t get a run this morning. I’m going to get some exercise, walking the corridors. I’ll meet you at the dining room for lunch.

“Whatever,” Sue called over her shoulder, already headed for the ATM near the ship’s bank. The card didn’t work. She looked around to make sure Joshua wasn’t anywhere around. She went to the bank counter and signed for cash on Joshua’s shipboard account. She did have signatory power, so she got the money, no questions asked.

Joshua strolled firmly, corridor after corridor, staircase after staircase. He found himself at the Arcade and Children’s play room. There weren’t as many children about, but Patricia was busy with the ones that were. She smiled and waved at him. Joshua gave a smile and small wave back.

He stayed on that deck and made several circuits, stopping at the play room each time. Finally he had a chance to lend a hand. Patricia smiled her thanks and went to change one of the babies.

Joshua stayed there, helping with the children. Patricia had quit trying to get him to go along and let them deal with it, but more parents brought more children. Patricia admitted they were shorthanded. One of the crew in her department hadn’t showed up for the cruise.

He left, reluctantly, to meet Sue for lunch. She was beaming, talking to a group of people about her own age. She ran over to Joshua when she saw him and wrapped her arm around his. “I won! Big! Almost a thousand dollars!” She didn’t tell him she’d spent twelve hundred to make the thousand.

Joshua was surprised. He’d been sure the ATM wouldn’t work.

She was bubbly all through lunch, telling him about the people she’d met in the casino. They had invited her and Joshua to go dancing with them that evening after dinner. Joshua was disinclined, but Sue got him to agree the same way she usually did. Bedroom antics. Joshua had just stepped out of the shower, afterwards, when the public address system chime sounded and the voice of the Captain began speaking. Sue had already left the suite.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. I regret to inform you that my supposition that World War Three had begun last night has proven to be true. My communications officers have been trying to make radio contact all night into the morning. They were finally successful after the ionization of the atmosphere lessened.

“Both the United States and Europe have been devastated. Canada much less so. I have decided to make way for Canada after we get reports that the radiation that does exist on the eastern side of the nation has diminished. I assure you, we have enough provisions for a substantial wait. Over two weeks. There have been no signs of radioactive fallout. You may now use the regular outside decks. Please stay calm. The medical staff is available for those that may have problems dealing with this. More later.”

Joshua dressed and headed for the open air. He breathed deeply, feeling more free than the situation warranted. He began to stroll the decks. There were many conversations about going to Canada, but he stayed out of them. He felt sorry for the Canadian citizens on board. They were being bombarded with questions.

He was going to go in and see if Patricia needed help in the Playroom, but ran into her on deck, supervising a group of youths playing shuffleboard. Joshua took a deck chair nearby and watched the children play. And Patricia. There was something about her, though Joshua couldn’t define it. She wasn’t stunningly beautiful the way Sue was, but she was very pretty. And carried herself very professionally.

She saw him finally and came over to thank him again for his help the night before and this morning. She had to go back to tend to the children. Joshua stayed and watched. He noticed a group gathering nearby and wandered over to see what was going on.

“I tell you they are!” said a woman, vehemently. “We have to do something about it.”

Joshua had missed the first part of the conversation. He whispered to one of those on the perimeter of the small crowd. “What’s going on?”

“She says the crew is beginning to lock people in their staterooms. People just wanting to find out what is going on.”

Two ship’s officers were approaching and Joshua saw the woman push through the small crowd and go up to them. They had to stop or run over her. “I demand to know why people are being locked up!”

“Madam,” said one officer, “People are not being ‘locked up’. There have been a few people restricted to their staterooms, but only on doctor’s orders. Not everyone is handling this situation rationally. We are trying to keep panic down, and worry to a minimum. Just keep listening to the Captain’s announcements. He will notify the passengers as new information comes in. Now if you will excuse me, I have duties to perform.”

The woman didn’t look happy as the two officers went around her and continued on their way.

“I figured as much,” Joshua said to the man he’d asked about what was going on. “By the way. I’m Joshua Hardcastle.”

“Jerry Bastigone. What do you think of all this war stuff? You think it’s real?”

Joshua was shocked. How could the man not believe it was real? “I do believe it. I was sitting in the dining room and saw the explosions on the coast.”

“Yeah. I know. Just wishful thinking on my part. What do you think the Captain will do?”

“I’m sure he is developing plans. I think going to Canada is a good start.”

“I guess so. Have to make the best of it. Mostly I’m worried about my wife. She’s not taking this well. I can’t get her to come out of the stateroom. I just wish I knew what to do.”

“Have the doctors check on her. Maybe they can give her something.”

“I think I will. Thanks. I’m kind of jittery, myself. You seem to be calm enough. That’s a big help to me. I’ll see you around. I’m going to go check on my wife.”

Joshua nodded and decided he’d better go check on Sue. He tried the stateroom first, knowing the chance of finding her there was slim. She wasn’t there. What was there, slid under the door, was the previous day’s financial accounting summary. It was normal procedure for the cruise line to provide each passenger a summary of their purchases using the onboard credit system.

He found he wasn’t that surprised when he saw the withdrawal from the deposit account. Sue was at it again. “I knew that ATM wouldn’t work,” he said aloud. He headed for the casino to find her, but he suddenly detoured to the ship’s bank. He withdrew the entire deposit, except for one hundred dollars and then continued his journey to the casino.

“Oh, good!” Sue said, when Joshua went up to her at the roulette table. “Honey, I need a little more cash. I’m right on the verge of winning.”

“Sue, Sweetie… I need to talk to you.”

“But I’m so close!”

“Please, Sue.”

Sue frowned but followed Joshua out of the casino. As soon as they were through the fancy double doors, Sue asked, “What is it, Sweetie? You in the mood again? That’s okay. You know me. I’m always ready.”

Joshua decided to let her think that. It would get her to the stateroom without a scene. She was already unzipping her skirt when Joshua unlocked the door to the stateroom.

“No, Sue. No. I didn’t bring you down here for that. Not this time.”

Sue let the skirt drop anyway. She’d always been able to manipulate him through sex. No reason she couldn’t do it again.

“Sue. Stop that,” he said, rather forcefully for him as Sue began to unbutton her blouse seductively.

Her hands dropped to her side, clinched into tiny fists. “What is it, Joshua?” Her anger was beginning to show through.

“It’s your spending. Don’t you understand what has happened? World War Three is raging right now. We’re off on this cruise with nothing but the shirts on our backs. And a little money.”

“You have plenty of money!” Sue laughed. “You’re stinking rich!”

“Not any more, Sue. Don’t you get it? My book wealth doesn’t mean a thing now. I can’t sell a few stocks to get you a new dress every week. All I have left is what I brought with me, and what is at the house, if it is even still there. Kansas City was probably a target. Money might not even be any good now. But as long as it is, we have to conserve what we have. It may come down to selling our jewelry.”

“Like hell! I’m not selling anything! You gave those things to me. I won’t let you take it back! If you can’t take care of me, I’ll just find someone that will!” Sue stormed out of the stateroom.

On a hunch, Joshua followed her, staying well behind. It was as he suspected. She’d headed straight to the ship’s bank. Joshua watched her find out there was only a hundred dollars left in the deposit account. She was livid and began to curse. The bank clerk hurriedly gave her the hundred, to get her to quiet down, since she did have signatory powers. Joshua shook his head. Precious had been one-hundred-percent right about Sue. He’d been a fool not to listen to his daughter. Now he was stuck with her. It wouldn’t be right to abandon her, as tempting as that would be.

He went to the ship’s library and started researching Canada and possible routes to Kansas City. Precious was a resourceful young woman. There was an excellent chance she had survived. Joshua planned on finding her. He began to plan what he would do when the got to Canada.

One of his problems was solved, he discovered, when he went to dinner in the dinning room. There was Sue, draped on the arm of an elderly gentleman, beaming and laughing with those around her as they went into the dining room together. Sue had found another Sugar Daddy.

The talk at the table he shared with three couples was all about what was to be done now that the world was at war. Joshua stayed mostly silent, speaking only when one of the others spoke directly to him.

The consensus was that the cruise line had an obligation to take care of everyone on the ship for the duration. It was all Joshua could do not bellow with laughter at the naivety of the group.

After dinner Joshua went to the Smoking Parlor for a cigar. He ran into Jerry Bastigone having a cigarette. “How’s your wife doing?” Joshua asked.

“Same. I tried to get her to go to the infirmary, but she refused. I don’t know what to do. She can’t stay in the stateroom forever. Going to have to quit these things. May not ever be a supply again.”

Jerry lit another cigarette from the first one, belying his words. “What are you going to do when we get to Canada?” he asked Joshua.

“Head for Kansas City to find my daughter.”

“You sound so certain. I don’t have a clue what we will do. Try to settle down. I’m from New York. Not going to even think about going home. I’m sure I don’t even have one, now. Probably have to go back to working with my hands to pay my way. Own… Owned a construction company, but it’ll be back to hammer in one hand and nail in the other.” When Joshua didn’t comment, Jerry drifted away, leaving Joshua to his thoughts.

After his cigar, Joshua headed down to the Playroom and Arcade. Perhaps he could be of help again. There were only a couple of children, including the one young gentleman that had been the last to leave the other night. Joshua saw him in the Arcade. Patricia wasn’t there. Since they weren’t busy, she was taking a break. Disappointed, Joshua went out on deck. It was a bit cool this far north.

He took a turn around the deck. When he approached the stern of the ship he noticed their wake. It was curved. The ship was making a wide, sweeping turn, apparently heading for the Canadian coast line. Joshua went to the stateroom. Sue’s belongings were gone. Including her jewelry from the safe. So much for his responsibility for her welfare. She was now someone else’s responsibility. Joshua undressed and went to bed, thanking his lucky stars he’d taken his own things from the safe after he’d discovered the spending summary.




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Chapter 2

Joshua went to the dining room for breakfast the next morning. There weren’t that many eating in the dining room. The buffet had been busy when he passed it on his way down. Joshua started to take a bite of his Eggs Benedict when he heard something. He put down his fork. He knew that sound. It was an F-18 buzzing the ship.

Like most of the others in the dining room he left his breakfast behind and went out on deck. A second F-18, or more accurately, A CF-18, the Royal Canadian Air Force version of the aircraft, flew by at ship’s stack height.

The two aircraft joined up in formation, made a wide sweeping turn and came toward the ship from the side, well ahead of the bow. When they were close, the lead plane fired a burst from the 20mm cannon, which was part of its armament.

People screamed and dashed away from the bow as the aircraft cut across it. Joshua couldn’t believe it. The Royal Canadian Air Force was warning them off. They weren’t going to be allowed to disembark on Canadian soil.

The Captain confirmed Joshua’s thought just after the jets took to a high altitude watch flight pattern. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that we are not going to be allowed to make landfall on Canadian soil. A boat will be sent out for our Canadian passengers. They will be allowed to disembark the ship and go home. I will advise you of our next course of action soon. Stay calm and do not despair. We will find a safe place to put to shore.”

There was pandemonium throughout the ship, passengers and crew alike. People were yelling epitaphs toward the unseen shoreline. Some people were just screaming. Others were crying. A few were trying to calm the others down.

Joshua turned and helped break up a fight. Two men had taken umbrage apparently with a Canadian passenger that was trying to defend Canada’s actions. Members of the ship’s crew rapidly hurried the Canadian away.

It was an hour before a Royal Canadian Navy patrol vessel rendezvoused with the motionless Elite. Many of the passengers and even some of the crew yelled more epitaphs and curses at those leaving the Elite and the crew of the patrol boat picking them up.

Joshua thought he was going to have to defend himself when he commented that he could understand why the Canadians were doing what they were doing. “Can’t really blame them,” he said. “Over two thousand people all in one place in the aftermath of a nuclear war? I don’t think I’d want them coming to my home, either.”

He made himself scarce as the ship began to move again. He wasn’t about to get into a fist fight over his opinion. Joshua started to head for the Smoking Parlor, but shook his head. “Jerry is right about quitting smoking. He might as well give it up now as later. Instead of the Smoking Parlor he went to the library. Canada was out. The New England states were out unless he really missed his guess.

Hopefully the Captain would announce where they were headed soon. For the moment Joshua would do a little general research on the south east coast of the US. He found what he could on the area and then went down for lunch.

Things had changed on the ship after the episode that morning. Joshua noticed it as soon as he left the library. People were talking in whispers, grim expression on their faces. There had been worry before, of course, but now it was worse. Before there was a safe destination in mind. Now there was only speculation.

Another change was the meal. Much more limited menu and the serving sizes were smaller for the most part. Passengers complained.

Some of the crew were becoming less polite and ready to please. More passengers complained. Joshua had a feeling the ship’s officers were running into some employee relationship problems.

He had taken for granted the quick, courteous service of the officers and crew. Joshua quit doing that. He asked for little and expressed his thanks sincerely. He began tipping with ones for the little services he did get. He had a feeling that the crew might not be getting the accustomed tips at the end of the cruise. And that they knew it.

Joshua was right. There was full blown mutiny by dinner time. At least half the crew was refusing to work, from the looks of it. It was obvious in the dining room. The servers and bus people that were in evidence were covering twice or more their regular stations.

Many of the passengers made it worse, complaining to every crew member coming into earshot. Joshua noticed Sue and her new beau were some of the loudest of the bunch. Joshua quietly asked his server if there was some way he could help. She shook her head. “No, sir. Not now, anyway.” She hurried off when someone at another table called for her loudly.

Joshua was at a loss. He went on deck after dinner, trying to sort possibilities in his head. They were traveling southeast now. Away from the North American Continent at an angle. Joshua assumed it was to avoid fallout and the ship would turn back to the west when the Captain was sure there was no more fallout. When he went to his stateroom he had to make up the bed.

He woke up to an announcement that the dining room was closed. The other various daily options for meals were being discontinued, as well. Meals would only be available at the buffet and portions would be limited. No seconds allowed.

When Joshua went up it was a mob scene. He saw Jerry standing in an out of the way corner, watching. There was a woman with him this time. Joshua noted her wan appearance, and jerky movements. Her eyes were never still, darting here and there as people moved about.

“Won’t hurt me to miss a meal,” Joshua said, patting his stomach, trying for a little levity.

“I’ve got to get June something to eat. She hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.” Jerry turned appealing eyes to Joshua. “Would you wait here with her while I go try to get her something? She won’t go up to the buffet with all the people there. I’m afraid they’ll stop serving before she’s willing to get something herself.”

“Sure, Jerry. No worries.” Joshua tried to engage June in conversation, but she just ignored him. She stepped behind him when someone came near them.

Jerry worked his way up the line and was able to come back some time later with a plate of food. “You’d better hurry,” he told Joshua. “There’s not much left and they said there won’t be any more until dinner. No lunch.” He took his wife over to a vacant table and sat down beside her. Joshua thought he was going to have to feed her, but she finally picked up the fork and began to eat.

When Joshua went over after the line had thinned out, he found that Jerry was right. There were only a few odds and ends left. He took what he could get, considering there wouldn’t be anything until evening. Of course, there was still the items in the stateroom dispenser.

After he ate, Joshua tried to corral an officer to offer his assistance if they would take it. But they all seemed to be on missions of their own. He finally got one stopped long enough to make the offer. “Sir, the Captain will be addressing that issue this afternoon. Please wait until then and follow his lead.”

“Will do,” Joshua said. It sounded like the command crew was ready to let some of the passengers help where they could.

That was exactly what the Captain announced. He didn’t address the fact that some of the crew weren’t working, only that there had been offers of help from passengers and he would allow it in specific circumstances. People would need to keep up their staterooms on their own. That staff was needed elsewhere.

Joshua was one of the first ones to sign up. They put him to work with a vacuum cleaner, cleaning the common areas. The Captain was determined to keep the ship clean and orderly, Joshua decided. He finally noticed that he wasn’t seeing any crew that wasn’t working. He wondered where the mutineers were, but didn’t ask.

Sue and her beau walked by and she laughed at him delightedly. “And to think I used to go out with you. I must have been out of my mind.” She was still laughing as they walked away.

Though he hadn’t expected it, Joshua found out there were a couple of perks for helping out. Those that worked that day were served meals in the crews mess. Nothing fancy or excessive, but a good filling meal.

Jerry, when Joshua ran into him that evening, said it had been another mob scene at the buffet. June wasn’t with him.

“Were you able to get June to eat again?”

With a sad smile on his face, Jerry shook his head. “Only what she ate this morning. I don’t know what to do. She won’t go see the doctor. I hate leaving her in the room by herself, but I just have to get out and get a cigarette every once in a while. I can’t stand being in that stateroom for hours on end.”

“I understand,” Joshua told him. There wasn’t much else to say. They each were lost in their own thoughts for a while and then Joshua said he was going down to his stateroom to go to bed.

“This early?” Jerry asked.

“Used muscles today I haven’t used in years. I’m beat.”

“You volunteered?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I may do that tomorrow. For something to do.”

“It would probably help. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night.”


Joshua was up bright and early the next morning, having gone to bed as early as he had. He was a little sore and decided a run on the deck would be good for him. He made a couple of laps and then saw Jerry and June near the stern of the ship. Just before he turned to go to a stairway and go down and join them, he saw June say something to Jerry and Jerry leave.

When Joshua got down to the deck, he met Jerry coming out from inside the ship. “June wanted a cup of coffee. I was able to finagle one.” Jerry looked around. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Joshua said. They each walked toward opposite side of the ship to look down the length of the decks for her. “You see her over there?” Joshua called.

“No. You?”

Joshua shook his head. “Maybe she went back down to the cabin for a sweater. It is pretty cool out and I noticed she was wearing a sleeveless dress.”

“Yeah. That’s her favorite dress.” Jerry handed Joshua the coffee. “I’m going to go check the stateroom.”

A few minutes later he came running back, panic in his eyes. “We have to stop the ship! She’s jumped!” He was waving a piece of paper. “She left a note! How do we stop the ship?”

Joshua ran to find an officer. Jerry was staring at the white wake of the ship. It was ten minutes before the ship began to slow and turn. Jerry ran to the furthest point he could go forward, and began to scan the ocean in front of them as the ship lined up with the wake.

Afraid Jerry would do something stupid, Joshua stayed right with him. A ship’s officer came up to them and began to question Jerry about his wife. Jerry showed him the note. “She just couldn’t handle what happened,” he said. He was crying now. “She can’t swim.”

The Elite came to a stop and lowered several of the life boats to search a wider area and then the Elite began searching again, too. It was almost dark when the lifeboats were recalled. “I’m sorry, sir,” said the officer. “We have to consider your wife lost at sea.”

“No! Jerry groaned. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing. Joshua and the officer got him up and down to the infirmary. Joshua stayed in the infirmary while the doctor talked to Jerry and gave him something to calm him and help him sleep. Joshua walked him back to the stateroom, made sure he got into bed and then went up see if there was any food left from the buffet dinner. There wasn’t.

Joshua got a can of nuts out of the self-serve dispenser in his stateroom and went to bed himself. He was exhausted mentally. Jerry’s wife’s suicide on top of the worry about his daughter was getting to him.

He went for a run on deck the following morning to work some more of the kinks out. Joshua noticed that their course was now to the south west.

He was first in line for the breakfast buffet and then for the work details. It seemed to Joshua that there were a few more of the crew at work than there had been. It was the same for the next three days. Jerry joined him on the work details, saying it kept his mind off of his wife.

Joshua looked up from the deck as he was running the next day and saw a roughness to the horizon in front of the ship. They were approaching land.

After breakfast the public address system chimed and the Captain began speaking. “Ladies and Gentlemen. I am pleased to announce that we will be making landfall in the morning at Savanna, Georgia. We have had contact with amateur radio operators that say, though the city was hit with a nuclear missile, it missed the port. The radioactivity is down enough to allow a small volunteer crew to go in and look for fuel and food. We will not be able to remain. Everyone will be transferred to the life boats, which will remain offshore to avoid the radiation until the ship can refuel and restock if fuel and provisions are available.”

There were loud protests all around Joshua. Seems most of the people wanted to go to shore as soon as possible. Jerry looked over at Joshua. “What do you think? You going to try to get to shore?”

“Are you nuts? Right into a radiation zone? No way.”

Someone behind them had heard Joshua’s comment. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, fellow. He said the radiation was low enough to go in. He wouldn’t be doing that if there was any real risk. He just wants to get us off the ship so they can get the food and fuel and for themselves so they can go back to England.”

“If there is no risk, why don’t you ask to go in with the ship and disembark? Head out on your own.”

“I think I’ll do just that, smart guy!” The man stomped off, looking for a ship’s officer.

“You sure, Josh?” Jerry asked.

“Sure as I can be. I think the Captain and most of the crew have done everything they could to keep us safe. I’m not going to start questioning them now.”

“Okay. I’m with you, then.”

Apparently quite a few of the passengers and crew had the same idea as the angry man, for the Captain was on the public address system only a few minutes later with another announcement. You could hear the anger in his voice. “Ladies and Gentlemen. This is not a game. Several of us, all volunteers, will be risking our future health in trying to re-supply the Elite in order to get to a place that is safe enough for us all. No one will be allowed to disembark from the ship at the port. That is all.”

There were more outcries. Joshua and Jerry got out of the crowd, suddenly fearing that violence might break out. They found a corner out of the way and watched the crowd warily. The ship began to slow and the report-to-lifeboats alarm sounded. Joshua and Jerry headed to their respective staterooms to get their life jackets and report to their lifeboat stations.

Joshua was amazed at how few people were coming out to the lifeboats. More people began to show up, but not nearly as quickly as they had at the lifeboat drill just a few days ago. It was almost twenty minutes before they began boarding the lifeboats. Joshua was sure not everyone had shown up by then. But his boat was full and being lowered to the water below and he lost sight of the activity on board the Elite.

As each lifeboat was filled to capacity, it was lowered, and motored out a little ways from the ship. They gathered together, keeping enough distance to avoid bumping into each other from the gentle wave action. The Elite began to move toward the opening to the harbor.

Suddenly a fight broke out in Joshua’s lifeboat. Two men were trying to drag the helmsman down from his perch. One of them was another crewmember. Others were fighting to keep them from doing so. But more people joined those trying to take over the lifeboat. Joshua was sitting well away from the helm and was unable to influence the fight.

The helmsman was dragged down and passed hand over hand and thrown out the door of the lifeboat. The other crewman climbed onto the raised helmsman’s perch. “We’re going in,” said the man that had helped drag the original helmsman down. “Anyone don’t want to go can just get out now.”

There were loud protests. Joshua was one of the first to head for the door of the lifeboat. He had to climb over several people to get there, but he did, and dived out into the water. He was followed by several more, but the rest that had protested fell silent. They weren’t going into the water.

The new helmsman set off toward the shoreline. Everyone in the water began swimming toward another lifeboat. It started happening all over the small fleet of lifeboats when people saw the other one leaving the group. A couple more lifeboats broke away. There were people leaving other boats, swimming toward those departing. All but the first lifeboat stopped to pick up those that wanted to go to shore.

When it was obvious what was going on, people began to shift from lifeboat to lifeboat when one indicated the majority wanted to stay and another wanted to go. Joshua was amazed that a full three-quarters of the lifeboats headed for shore.

The lifeboats staying behind regrouped and redistributed people to ease over crowding. It was getting dark when the Elite returned to the group of lifeboats. The crew aboard the ship reconnected the lift cables and pulled the lifeboats up to unload.

Joshua saw the Captain talking to one of the officers that had been with the lifeboats. Joshua could tell that he was both angry and disappointed. Many of those that had deserted had been crew. Joshua found out a little later from a talkative crewmember that several passengers had indeed stayed aboard in hiding and exited the ship when it docked and the gangway was lowered. As with the lifeboats, some crew left the Elite, too.

He found out why they hadn’t moved after everyone was aboard. The Captain sent a select team to shore in one of the lifeboats to recover the others. Joshua went up on deck to watch. He saw the string of lifeboats coming back near midnight. The group had recovered all but three of the lifeboats.

When they were hoisted up and locked in their brackets the Elite got underway again. It wasn’t long before the Captain was on the public address system. “Ladies and Gentlemen. I am pleased to announce that we are now fully fueled and have added significantly to our food stores. As you are all aware, I have lost many of my crew to desertion. Any passenger willing to help in the operation of this ship will be greatly appreciated.

“I am also pleased to announce that we located records at the harbor that a regular supply tanker load of diesel was inbound to the harbor from Houston, Texas. I plan to find that ship. That is all.”

Joshua found many of the crew that had gone into Savanna Harbor, including a few of the officers, were more talkative than in the past. He got most of the story of what had gone on in the harbor and in the recovery of the lifeboats.


There was a great deal of damage in the harbor from the blast and ground waves of the device that hit on the western edge of Savanna. Those on the bridge of the ship could see the devastation extending to the limit of their line of sight. The tanks in the tank farm for the harbor all seemed to be standing. There were several empty berths available and the crew docked the ship and then went ashore to see if they could get the fueling system going so they could re-fuel the Elite.

It took most of the day for the work crew assigned to the fuel to find a generator and hook it up to the pump feeding the fuel line to their berth. Though the tanks had appeared undamaged from a distance, when the crew got there they discovered quite a bit of damage. But there was some diesel fuel suitable for the engine in the Elite available in one tank. They transferred all they could get out of the tank to the ship.

While the one team was working on the fuel, two more were sent in search of useable food, with the caution not to venture too far from the harbor. They were able to get a couple of forklifts running, as well as one semi-truck.

They scoured the harbor area for delivery trucks. Much of the food they found had been fresh and was now a rotting mass. But there were canned, bottled and packaged foods, as well. They gathered up all they could find. Like the fuel, there was a limited amount. But it would feed the ship’s compliment for at least two weeks, they decided, if it was rationed carefully. And they still had a week’s worth aboard. They loaded everything aboard, including the forklift that ran on diesel, after strengthening the boarding ramp to the cargo hold. Just in case it was needed in the future.

When it was discovered that three quarters of the passengers and half of the crew had deserted, and the Captain had decided not to try to force those that had left back aboard the ship, he received updated estimates on their situation. They had food for a month for those left aboard, and the fuel tanks were almost full. Since the ship was equipped with desalinators, they didn’t have to worry about water, as long as they had fuel.


Joshua was watching through the windows on the lifeboat deck when those that were going after the other lifeboats disembarked. He noticed that two of the men carried shotguns. They were the ones used for shooting trap off the aft deck. The Captain was not playing games with the deserters. They could leave, but they weren’t taking any more of the ship’s property than he could help.

It didn’t take long to find the lifeboats, bright orange that they were, clustered together near the south shore of the harbor. Apparently those in three of the lifeboats had decided on another location. The recovery crew was able to transfer helmsmen to the other craft and left, without ever seeing anyone ashore, not even a campfire. No one was even standing a watch on the lifeboats. A couple of them weren’t even tied up to the shore, but were drifting free, a quarter of a mile away.




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Chapter 3

The Captain headed the Elite south, keeping the ship just within visual range of the coast. A constant radar watch was kept to try and locate the wayward tanker if it was still at sea. Every time they saw signs of life ashore they halted and checked it out. Carefully. Twice the launch was fired upon before it got close to shore. The other times it was small bands of people eager to get aboard the ship.

Joshua was curious why the Captain wouldn’t let anyone else aboard. He overheard two of the officers discussing it. It was because of the reports they were getting of the levels of fallout along most areas of the coast. Most of those people that weren’t staying in shelters were going to die, most sooner, some later.

They tried stopping at a couple of the small towns and cities, to try to find additional food, but were rebuffed each time by the residents. Armed residents. Seemed that if the place was habitable, then the residents didn’t want any more drain on their resources and if it was abandoned it was still too hot to enter. As it was, those that had gone into Savanna Harbor suffered mild symptoms of radiation poisoning.

There were cruising slowly, just passing Hobe Sound when the sentry on binocular duty called into the bridge. “I see something. It’s definitely a tanker.”

The Elite made a sweeping turn and headed for the sound. The ship lay at anchor some distance from shore. The ship’s launch was grounded nearby on shore. There were no signs of life on shore or aboard the Giuseppe when Elite crew checked each one out. There were signs of heavy fallout, though rains after the fall had washed most of it off the decks of the ship.

Captain Bainseborough-Smith sent a team from the engineering section to see if they could get the ship in operating condition. It didn’t take long. Essentially it had been parked and the key turned off. Everything fired right up. With a couple of engineering crew aboard the Captain brought the others back and transferred enough operations crew to handle the ship.

Fearful of the radiation, the Captain took both ships back out to sea. While it wasn’t a super tanker by any means, the Giuseppe’s cargo tanks could keep both ships sailing the area for several years.

It was obvious, from both direct observation and reports from amateur radio operators that had survived, that the peninsula of Florida was a washout as for as replenishing the ships food stocks. With fuel not a problem, the Captain set the ships’ course south to the Caribbean.

They were able to replenish food supplies about as quickly as they consumed them. Those that had stayed aboard were committed to staying aboard. Those that had it contributed money and belongings to the Elite’s bank to purchase what wasn’t just lying around as they visited island after island. It was usually from small farmers away from the regular port cities.

They were not welcome in many places, especially those that already had a cruise ship or two at berth. The Giuseppe was always left out of sight of land with guards on board armed with shotguns when the Elite went in to shore try to bargain for supplies. It seemed many of the cruise ships were doing the same thing. Pickings were slim. And the demand for the Giuseppe fuel was high when it was discovered to be traveling with the Elite. The Captain headed them toward South America to stay out of harm’s way.

Stops were made every few days all along the Central American east coast. Additional food stocks were purchased from the locals, using anything and everything not tied down to the ship, including the clothing and possessions the deserters had left behind. When they reached Brazilian national waters they had more success, stocking up heavily on fresh food, including a great deal of meat that went into the ship’s freezers. People quit asking what they were having for the next meal, when they got the answers to the questions the first time.

It went well until the Brazilian authorities found out about the Giuseppe. It was ordered into shore. The Brazilians sent a patrol boat out for it, but Captain Bainseborough-Smith ordered it to head due east fast as it could go. He turned the Elite to follow.

Though the patrol boat caught up with the tanker it only circled it a few times and left. The only thing Joshua could think of was that the Brazilian’s still had some infrastructure up and wasn’t willing to spill blood over the tanker. But the Elite and Giuseppe were no longer welcome.

It was winter in the Southern Hemisphere. The Captain turned them back north. They were able to pick up food again along the northern shores of South America and the eastern shores of Central America. When they got to Mexico it was a near repeat of Brazil. They were ordered in, but when they didn’t go, they were left alone.

They had accumulated three month’s worth of food. They headed for Texas. They found a good source of beef in one of the little Texas towns near the shore. This time the Captain had to trade diesel for it, but they got more than a years worth of beef and pork.

They’d taken on live chickens and goats when in South America, along with a great deal of feed, so had on going sources of chicken, eggs, and milk, to go along with the beef and pork that was butchered and frozen.

With those stocks of food, and the fish they were catching with tackle they’d traded for, they were good for well over a year. Now they needed a home base.

They found it in Louisiana near the Texas border. Houston and Galveston had been hammered with nuclear weapons, and with the other targets hit in Texas, the area received a great deal of fallout. But that was fading. There were very few residents left in the area. With the Captain’s permission, most of the passengers and crew opted to stay aboard the Elite. It had everything they needed, except for an actual source for food.

With the two ships in a small, safe harbor, The Elite survivors set up a presence on shore. It took days of exploration on foot to locate a working vehicle. When they found one it allowed them to scavenge in the surrounding area. They found what they needed to prepare gardens, including seeds. The Captain took the ship back to Texas and got more beef. On the hoof this time, to start their own herd.

Joshua fretted, wanting to go look for Precious, but not willing to leave immediately. He felt a responsibility to help get a permanent presence set up on land. With the fuel they had they could live aboard ship as long as they had food. Joshua did what he could for the rest of that year and the next. During that time he bought a whole head of beef with his Rolex watch, and made arrangements with one of the chefs to cut it up for him using the ship’s equipment, for the last of his cash.

He turned nearly an equal amount of the weight of the steer into beef jerky, trading other people specific cuts for more suitable cuts of meat to make into the jerky.

There were boats all along the coast for the taking.

Joshua couldn’t believe his luck when he ran across a sunken MacGregor 26 power sailor on one of his first exploration journeys. Every once in a while, in his past life, he went through a phase of wanting a boat suitable for the Missouri lakes. He’d been impressed with the MacGregor. It was a decent sailor and very good under power. Though it was down to the gunnels in the water, the boat was unsinkable.

He checked under the water for damage and found none. He salvaged a small gasoline powered pump and pumped the boat out, and began refurbishing it in his spare time between his work assignments for the community. The outboard motor that had been on the boat was ruined, but he found a brand new Mercury four stroke 15 hp outboard. It would do until he could get the boat to a good marina and find a 50 hp to up engine the boat. The 15 hp would be moved to the tip up mount for emergency use.

Joshua was able to find dozens of the standard 6-gallon and 12-gallon marine fuel tanks on other boats, but gasoline was scarce. He made sure there were a couple of siphons on board the boat.

With the boat and jerky ready the spring of the third year after the war, Joshua was ready to start his journey to find his daughter, Precious. Having said his good-bye’s Joshua set sail eastward, headed for the mouth of the Mississippi.

He steered clear of any place that looked inhabited, but checked every place along the shore that looked abandoned. He was looking for gasoline, guns and ammunition, and a water purifier. He had water for a week or more on board, but he wanted a way to treat more.

It took a great deal of time, but Joshua’s searches along the Louisiana sea coast, and then the Mississippi River banks finally paid off. He found gasoline here and there, and at one river marina, found an almost full case of 16-ounce bottles of Pri-G.

When he first saw the product he didn’t know what it was, but when he checked the marina’s fuel tanks there was a sign that suggested the Pri-G or Pri-D be used with all the marina’s fuel. He went back into the marina store, got the one bottle they had on display and searched the back room until he found the rest of the case. He grabbed a couple of first-aid kits on display. He didn’t have one.

Though he didn’t need it for the MacGregor, Joshua intended to be traveling by land vehicle at some point and took all the Pri-D he could find, too. There was no telling what he might find that would run.

That marina was a treasure trove in other ways. He found a Mercury 50 hp outboard on one of the boats docked in the marina. It was a struggle, but he got it mounted on the MacGregor, with the 15 hp on the tilt up emergency motor mount. It worked.

The marina store also catered to campers and hikers in the area. They had a small selection of water purifiers. He took all they had, all the replacement filters he could find, and all the accessories. Also some camping equipment.

He began to find more gasoline along one stretch of the river. From what he could see, it had residual amounts of fallout. He saw nothing moving except for fish jumping in the river. With the small chance of someone being around, he searched a little more thoroughly for firearms when he came to nice looking properties facing the river.

Joshua found what he assumed was a World War II vet’s house. It too, like the one marina, was a treasure trove. Joshua found the partially eaten human remains sitting in a chair in the living room of the house, an issue model Colt 1911 pistol in his hand. Propped nearby was an M1 Garand and a Winchester 97 12 gauge trench gun. Both the Garand and the shotgun had long bayonets attached.

The man had all the accoutrements. Cartridge box web belt and suspenders, with ammunition, holster and knife sheaths, a pair of canteens, and two double pouches for the 1911 magazines. There was also a butt pack, and a combat pack with entrenching tool and a machete strapped to it. The two packs were empty. A full dozen 80-round bandoleers with loaded ammunition in the Garand en-bloc clips where at hand. Joshua was doubtful that they were issue, but there were two fifty round leather bandoleers of 12 gauge 00 buck hanging on the top spindle of the chair.

Joshua searched the rest of the house. He found more ammunition for all three weapons stashed in a closet. There was also quite a bit of canned and packaged food. Joshua took it all. He made five trips from the house to the MacGregor, worried each step that he was staying in one place too long. But sill he checked behind the house. Sure enough, there was a restored Willys Jeep. It had a D-handle shovel under one door opening and an axe under the other, and a spare tire and fuel can on the rear. Joshua took the tools and fuel can. It was full. He checked the shed. Six more cans of fuel.

He debated taking the jeep, but it was on the wrong side of the river, and he doubted he could make as good of time northward in the Jeep as he could the boat. Not to mention finding enough gasoline. He was in good shape now, with all his marine portable tanks full and the seven cans from the vet. A dangerous amount, in normal circumstances. He had fuel stashed all over the boat.

After he had loaded everything aboard, Joshua motored away at high speed. The place was giving him the willies.

Joshua was stopping in the heaviest cover he could along the banks for his night stops. He saw the occasional boat out, mostly rowboats, but none showed an inclination to contact him, other than a casual wave as he sailed past. He picked up sailing skills fairly rapidly, though he was far from being an expert.

He was motoring along a stretch of the river with many twists and turns when he met a big jon boat coming down stream under paddle power. The two men in the boat were as startled as Joshua. Joshua looked back. The jon boat was going around the bend. But then he heard the motor that was mounted on the boat fire up and the boat came rushing back around the bend, under full power.

The man in the front of the boat lifted a shotgun and began to fire at the MacGregor. Joshua slammed the throttle of the Mercury 50 hp and sped away. The jon boat, though up on plane, couldn’t keep up with the MacGregor at full speed, as the jon boat’s engine began to sputter and then died, leaving them languishing in the MacGregor’s wake.

Joshua wiped the sweat off his brow and thought to check himself, the boat, and the engines for damage. From the looks of the pellet marks, the man had been using small shot. There were indentations on the motor housings and marks on the back of the boat. It was only when he turned back to face forward that he realized he taken a pellet in his left arm.

He waited until he found a place with a lot of overhanging vegetation, lowered the mast, and eased under it. Then he tended the wound. It wasn’t bad, but Joshua didn’t want it to fester. After sterilizing the blade of his pen knife, Joshua dug out the pellet. It hurt like the dickens, but Joshua managed to get the pellet out without screaming, but it was a near thing.

Wishing he had some alcohol, to wash out the wound as well as to use as a painkiller, he put a band-aid on the little hole and then extricated the MacGregor from the foliage and headed north again, at speed, until he decided he was far enough ahead of the jon boat that it wouldn’t be able to catch him, even if they got there outboard going again.

Joshua kept his vigilance up as he traveled, keeping to the center of the river. There were places where people were on shore, and long stretches with no evidence of anyone. He had two more incidents of being shot at, but he was able to motor away with no damage.

He kept stopping at abandoned places along the river and continued to find small amounts of gasoline, and even some food to supplement his jerky. He used the sail whenever he could, to lesson fuel consumption, but he was fighting the downstream current all the time.

Joshua couldn’t figure out the apparent huge amounts of fallout that seemed to cover the ground in many places after he passed the southern border of Arkansas. It just didn’t look right to be radioactive fallout. Finally, somewhat against his better judgment, he pulled ashore at a place that was covered in the material. He picked up a handful. It wasn’t radioactive fallout, it was volcanic ash. Their shipboard amateurs had mentioned that Yellowstone had blown, but he hadn’t given it much credence at the time. He was a believer now.

Finally he got close to St. Louis. His initial plan had been to stop below St. Louis, a probable target in the war, find a useable vehicle and go over land the rest of the way. But the more he thought about it, going past St. Louis and taking the Missouri upstream was seeming to be a better idea. The MacGregor was doing well. If he could get past St. Louis on the Mississippi, and then take the Missouri River, he could go all the way to Kansas City by water. Another potential nuclear target was Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. It was right on the Missouri River.

Joshua decided to at least try to get to the Missouri. He searched for more gas, and managed to fill his containers again, this time from abandoned cars on the highways adjacent to the river. His siphon hose worked like a charm. All he had to do was punch through the anti-siphon block in the filler necks of the newer cars, and siphon the fuel into cans.

He began to see an oily sheen on the surface of the river the closer he got to St. Louis. He began to see damage to the structures near the river. He brought the MacGregor to a halt, using the engine to just hold him in place against the current. It took a couple of minutes to make up his mind. Joshua switched to a full 12-gallon fuel tank and ran the throttle up to full speed. He stayed on the east side of the river, though well away from the shore.

He had to slow down to navigate across the fallen river bridges. Every one in the St. Louis area was down. Joshua saw no one as he motored past the destroyed city. He saw the tanks right on the bank that were leaking diesel into the river. There was probably plenty of gas in one of those tank farms, but he was afraid the radiation levels would be too high for safety.

Joshua had a tense moment when he came to the Alton, Illinois Dam and locks. If they were closed, he didn’t know if he would be able to get past them. But his worries faded when he saw clear passage. He motored through and past, and then into the mouth of the Missouri. He felt ill after traveling two days up the Missouri and laid low for a couple. He couldn’t keep anything on his stomach for the entire two days. Most of his nausea resulted in dry heaves after that.

But he felt better after another day, though rather weak. Joshua admitted to himself that he’d received a pretty good radiation dose passing St. Louis. A week later he began losing some of his thick shock of hair, but it didn’t last long. He was seeing more people now, despite the evidence of the heavy ash fall.

He began to approach people, his acquired weapons at hand. He was able to trade for some fresh food at one place, for some of his jerky, and another place some gasoline for jerky. He sheared away quickly from anyone that showed any signs of aggression. He was a tempting target and new it. Most of the other boats he was seeing on the river were much smaller.

If Jefferson City had been a target, it had been missed. He sailed past without a problem. He was on the last leg of the journey. Joshua was dismayed when he reached the northeast corner of the city. It was as close to the city as he could get on the boat. It wasn’t looking good and he began to worry about radiation.

He found a good spot and unloaded the boat onto shore. He buried the fuel and most of the food in several caches, including one that contained the Winchester 97. Then he hooked up the pump he’d used to raise the MacGregor and used it to sink her again.

He buried the pump, using a piece of tarp he’d scavenged one day, with no particular use in mind. It just seemed a boat needed tarps. With the camping equipment in and on the combat pack and butt pack, and food and water inside, Joshua holstered the Colt and picked up the Garand. He didn’t get very far. From the looks of the destruction, one of the detonations had not been very far away. And in that direction were the remains of his home. It might even be at ground zero.

There was nothing there for him. He turned back, tears in his eyes. If Precious was alive, there were no clues on how to find her. In the four days he’d been on foot, nothing had changed where he’d stashed the MacGregor. He raised the boat, dug up his gear and loaded it back aboard, and then set sail.

Several times Joshua thought about stopping and trying to make a life for himself in one of the communities he was passing for the second time. But the weather was extremely cool for the time of the year and Joshua knew the cruise ship encampment on the gulf was going to be the best chance he had of long term survival.

He wasted no time going back. The current was with him all the way He picked up a bullet in the shoulder from the Louisiana side of the Mississippi when he was about halfway down the state. Joshua was in bad shape when he grounded the MacGregor at the cruise ship encampment and waded ashore three days later.

The next thing he remembered was waking up in the ship’s infirmary, with Patricia holding his hand. He became an expert fisherman, with the MacGregor his fishing vessel. It looked a bit puny next to some of the other, diesel powered boats that had been salvaged. But they were on rationed amounts of diesel from the tanker. Joshua could go out anytime he wanted, under sail, which was often.

He was able to keep his fuel tanks full, trading fish. Someone somewhere close was rumored to have found a gasoline tanker and pup. Joshua didn’t care where the gasoline came from. He filled every container he could find, treating the fuel with Pri-G, to have the fuel for a rainy day. Despite the warnings from those that knew about the amount of gasoline he had onboard the MacGregor, he continued to store it on the boat.

Another thing that Joshua did was get married to Patricia. The Captain performed the ceremony, for them and three other couples that had formed. Two of the other brides, and one of the grooms were locals.

Joshua settled in with Patricia in the same stateroom he’d had on the ship, and while she tended garden and helped in the kitchen and with the children, Joshua fished. He lost track of time, except for what season it was. And wondered about his Precious. He just knew she was alive somewhere.

But the tranquility came to an end one afternoon. Joshua was well out into the gulf. Patricia had come along for the ride that day, with the garden in good shape. But the fish weren’t biting, no matter what bait or lure Joshua used. Even the mascot porpoise that often traveled with the boat for the occasional piece of fish that Joshua would toss to it was nowhere to be found.

“I think we might as well go in,” Joshua said, reeling in first one line and then the other three. Patricia got behind the wheel and Joshua began raising the sail.

Suddenly Joshua felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. Apparently Patricia had the same feeling. “Did you feel that, Josh?”

“Yeah. But what was it?” Joshua had the sail up and they began to head for the distant shore. They hadn’t gone very far when their radio came alive. “Tsunami! Tsunami! Can you hear me, Joshua? Tsunami!” It was Tom Jones, one of the radio operators on the Elite. A communications watch was always kept when anyone was away from the group.

Joshua keyed the mike of the radio when he got to it. “This is Joshua. I hear you man! Are you sure?”

“Oh, yeah! The sea just started flowing away. We’re trying to get the ships to deep water. Let us know if you experience a surge. How far out are you?”

“Twenty miles,” Joshua replied. “We felt something, but it wasn’t like a surge. More like a drop.”

“Holy cow!” exclaimed Tom. “If you’re getting it out there already it must be huge!” There was silence for a moment. “But that doesn’t seem reasonable, if it doing it there and here at the same time. But never mind. Just keep an eye out.”


Author’s note: Please excuse my butchering of Tectonic Science.


It was generations before scientists pieced together what had happened that day and several subsequent days. A tectonic movement of epic proportions had snapped the North American Tectonic Plate in two from deep in the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River Valley and over to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

For eons the bedrock deep under the center of the United States had been stretched thinner and thinner. The surface would have sunk with the bedrock, except billions of tons of eroded rock coming from the Rockies and the Appalachians, and even the Ozarks, had filled the sunken land in, just slightly slower than the ground was sinking.

When the plate separated magma began to stream upward in hundreds of places. But it was still deep in the earth and much of it cooled and hardened quickly, sealing the crack except for here and there. A new line of volcanoes arose along the length of the split.

The waters of the Gulf of Mexico flowed northward over the sunken ground, stopping only when it reached Cape Girardeau, Missouri in the north, the Ozarks in the west, and the foothills of the Appalachians to the east. The Gulf of Mexico was now the American Sea.

Water flowed from the Atlantic into the new sea, and the Pacific flowed into the Atlantic. It took years for the oceans to equalize. In that time old currents disappeared and new ones were created.




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Chapter 4

Joshua brought the sails down and secured them and then got behind the wheel after Patricia moved. She went down into the cabin and brought out life preservers for both of them. Joshua put his on and then started the Mercury. He put it in gear, but just let the engine idle. He wanted to be able to head into the swell, no matter from which direction it came. But they never felt a swell.

The crews of both the Elite and the Giuseppe weren’t sure they would get the ships under power and moving before they touched bottom. But the Gulf quit withdrawing and began to edge back, but not with a swell they were expecting.

Not one to take a chance, Captain Bainseborough-Smith ordered both ships out to sea at full speed as soon as they had way. People on shore ran for the gangplank of the Elite when the public address system was activated and warnings rang out. If it was a tsunami they had no high ground to run up on this stretch of coast.

When the crew saw the last person close board the ship they pulled up the gangway. Other people began to show up, but the Captain ordered the gangway kept up. Those still coming from the gardens headed for the small fleet of boats tied up to the shore.

Several noticed the water was slowly rising up the shore, but there didn’t seem to be anything but normal wave action. It was just that every wave went a little further up the beach. The small boats all began pulling away from the shore, the last one waiting for the last person to get to it.

Both ships and all the boats were well clear of the little harbor when everyone felt a strange sensation. It was like they were going backwards, with the ship tilted slightly. But they weren’t getting any closer to the shoreline. In fact, the shore was receding from them rapidly. It was only when people saw that the water had crossed the nearest small rise and the ground kept going underwater that they realized that the water wasn’t just moving on to the land. The land itself seemed to be sinking.

A bridge crewman looked at the radar display and let out a yelp. The coastline was disappearing at a rapid pace. Very soon they wouldn’t be able to see it and the ships were not moving that fast yet for the shore to be disappearing. The boats were well out ahead of them, being able to accelerate much faster than the ships.

The ships had a radar bearing on Joshua’s boat and both ships and the boats headed in that direction. They rendezvoused with him and then stopped dead in the water to wait out whatever was happening. Though, like Joshua, everyone kept engines at idle, ready to engage and meet the tsunami wave if it ever developed. It didn’t all that day or the next one.

The Captain kept everyone apprised of the radar reports. When the land fell off the display, the ships and boats began to head back north. Cautiously. Keeping just within radar range of the land for a little while. Then they couldn’t keep up with the submersion. There was some fear that they would run aground, but they kept going, the small boats in advance, watching the depth of the water with their depth sounders.

They began to see all sorts of items in the water as they continued following the receding shoreline. That included bodies. Dozens at a time, at times. Others singularly. Always bodies, never survivors. They steered wide around two new volcanoes that were building in their path. It took several days to reach the new shoreline.

There were people at the shore when the cruise ship approached. When asked where they were, those on shore told the ship’s residents that the nearest city was Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Just to their east.

After the shock wore off, the locals objected to having 500 plus additional residents. The Captain decided to go west, on a whim. It was a good decision. They traveled until they found another, very new, safe harbor, at the edge of the Missouri Ozarks, near the submerged city of Doniphan . They put down new roots, figuratively and literally. New late season gardens were planted, and the surrounding forested hills were explored and the bounty that was available utilized. They began to make contact with the locals.

The Elite survivors settled in for the long haul. Again.




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Chapter 5

Brady Collingsworth, with his wife and son, were leading the small convoy in their highly modified Suburban. Brady’s and Star’s adopted daughter had stayed behind to keep their garden going. Behind them were two heavily laden U500 Unimog trucks. Next in line was a ten-wheel tanker truck with diesel and gasoline. Behind the tanker came an assortment of old and even older pickup trucks. Every vehicle was pulling a trailer of some kind, just as heavily loaded as the tow vehicles.

If looking close, one would see that every person was heavily armed, with the exception of little Joshua Brady Collingsworth. There had not been any major problems with bandits in and around Branson for over a year, but Brady was not one to take chances. They were going into new territory, for them.

They had started from their retreat compound northwest of Branson, Missouri, picked up US 65 going north and cut across on highway F to Walnut Shade, where they picked up US 160 going east. That was the limit they’d gone in their earlier explorations. From Walnut Shade east was new territory for them, post war.

The roads were rough in places, not having had much, if any maintenance since the War. The convoy traveled slowly for that reason, as well as security concerns. So far, thankfully, no major bridges had been out. They stopped early each evening to make camp. Two or three people would hunt in the surrounding forest, to add to the stock of food they brought with them. Most stops the hunters would come back with two or three squirrels or rabbits, or both. Occasionally a few ducks or pigeons. On the third day Brady got a deer.

Brady had the most luck bringing in game. When hunting he carried a Heym Model 37V vierling. A double barrel twenty-gauge with .308 and .22 Hornet rifle barrels under the shotgun barrels. It had been his wife’s father’s. He could take anything with it efficiently that he ran across.

They didn’t worry about game laws any more, just conservation. There had been a time, right after the war and the ash fall from Yellowstone that game had been nearly non-existent. But the game from other areas began to migrate to the area after a couple of years had passed. They had been careful not to over hunt their local area, to allow the game to become well established.

It took them almost a month of slow traveling on US 160 to reach their destination. As has been said about many roads, US 160 was long and winding.

The destination was the new coastline they’d heard about through the amateur radio operator network that had developed after the war for the survivors of the war to maintain communications. A much smaller network now, after the Yellowstone eruption and then the Great New Madrid Subsidence that had turned the Gulf of Mexico into the American Sea, the network had reported that the eastern edge of the Ozarks was now the northwest coast of the inverted-V shaped new sea.

Brady and the members of his convoy could attest that it was a fact. If they hadn’t stopped short, they would have run right into it, since US 160 dipped into the water and disappeared. They were just west of where Doniphan, Missouri used to be. What was left of Doniphan was now under fifty feet of water.

When Brady cleared the last ridge before the sea he stopped in awe. Some of it was the sea itself. The rest of it was the fact that a small flotilla of ships and boats were moored and anchored in a small harbor that now existed where US 160 ended.

“I can’t believe it,” Brady said. “A cruise ship and tanker. Has to be some that were in the Gulf or the Caribbean when the balloon went up.”

“It sure makes me feel batter about Daddy,” Star said, holding up Joshua to see the sea. “If one cruise ship survived, maybe Daddy’s did too.”

Joshua waved his arms and gurgled. He’d seen enough of the sea. It was time to be fed. Star took care of that as Brady led the convoy down the incline. He saw a suitable spot and had the vehicles pull up behind him and park, just off the road in an open area.

People were running from the ship and the surrounding forest to meet them. Several of Brady’s group began to lift weapons, but Brady waved for them to put them down. The only sign of a weapon was the over-and-under shotgun a man near the edge of the forest held.

“Who are you and where’d you come from?” asked the first person to reach Brady, who was standing by the front corner of the Suburban.

“I could ask the same thing,” Brady said, as his hand was shaken violently by the first man. Others gathered around.

“Perhaps we should take the visitors to visit the Captain,” said another man. He exuded authority. The rest of the group opened up a lane toward the boats on the shore. “He can hear the story and then give an announcement.”

“I’m Brady Collingsworth,” Brady said, taking the man’s hand with it was offered.

“I’m Lieutenant Robertson, of the Cruise Ship Elite. I’ll take you to see the Captain.”

“Is there a place we can set up camp?”

“Sure,” Lieutenant Roberson said. He waved a hand toward the tree line. “Anywhere over there.”

Brady turned back to his group, now gathered about the vehicles. “Hang loose and set up the camp,” he told them. “I’m going to meet with this group’s leader.” He stuck his head in the open window of the Suburban. “You coming?” he asked Star.

“No. Still feeding the baby. Get the story and then tell me. And look out at that blue trimmed boat coming in. Daddy wanted one like that at one time.”

“Thought about him a lot, lately, haven’t you?”

“Yeah. I miss him. I hope he is okay.”

“If he is as resourceful as you, I’m sure he’s okay. I’ll be back in a little while.” Brady turned and went with the Lieutenant.

When he returned a shy hour later, the camp was all set up. The group was well practiced, from the weeks of travel. “It’s incredible,” Brady told the assembled group.” He told the story, much the way that the Captain was telling people aboard the ship about Brady’s group.

By the time Brady had finished the telling, people were streaming off the ship to meet Brady’s group and get some of the story first hand. Brady’s group felt the same way. Introductions began as the basic story was embellished with personal accounts by those in both groups.

“I want you to meet the Captain,” Brady told Star, after going over to the Suburban. “He’s a remarkable fellow. Been keeping this bunch going and prospering since the war.” They were walking toward the ship and Star’s attention was drawn to the blue trimmed MacGregor 26 as the man and woman aboard finally disembarked. There was something about the man that looked familiar.

“I’m sorry. What did you say? I was distracted,” Star said, turning back to Brady.

“I was saying, the Captain has been keeping this bunch going and prospering since the war.”

“I heard that part,” Star said, with a smile for her husband.

“Oh. Yeah. They were just starting out on a world cruise from New York when…”

Brady saw Star go pale. “New York? It can’t be!” She whirled around to look at the man and woman walking up to them. Quickly she handed little Joshua to Brady and began running toward the man and woman approaching. “Daddy! Daddy! Is that you?”

“Precious?” Joshua asked softly. Then he was running toward Star. “It is you!”

Brady walked over, dumb founded, as several other people gathered around to see what the shouting was about.

Star was in Joshua’s arms, laughing and crying at the same time as he swung her around and around. “I knew it!” Joshua said. “I was sure you were alive. I’ve been so worried about you.”

“And I you. Put me down. I want to introduce you to someone.” Star took little Joshua from Brady and handed him to her father. “This is Joshua Brady Collingsworth, your grandson.”

“Grandson? You’re married?” Joshua stared at the baby.

“Well, no ceremony, but in our eye’s and our group’s eyes, we are,” Star said. “This is Brady. My husband.”

Joshua cradled little Joshua in his left arm and shook Brady’s hand. “It looks like you are taking good care of my Precious. Thank you.”

“She doesn’t take much caring for. She’s been a big part of our group’s success. And we call her Star.”

“Star?” Joshua asked, looking over at his daughter.

Star blushed. “Long story. It doesn’t matter. You can still call me Precious.”

“I guess I should introduce you to Patricia,” Joshua said, noticing Star’s eyes flicking toward the woman standing just to the side and behind him.

“This is Patricia. She’s my wife. The Captain married us.”

“What happened to Sue?” Star asked.

A grim look crossed Joshua’s face. “Another long story. We didn’t last long together after the war started. She got off with a bunch of the others at Savanna.”

“Savanna is on the hot list,” Brady said.

“I know. We’re part of an amateur radio network. They’re keeping track of things.”

“We’re in it, too,” Brady said.

“Small world,” Joshua commented.

Brady looked at Star and then Joshua. “I hope to tell ya’.” He laughed. “Oh, yes. I have something you might want back.” With Star and Patricia talking, Brady took Joshua over to the Suburban and brought out the vierling case.

“My vierling! You saved it.”

“Yes. Star brought it along. I’ve been using it hunting. Great gun. I’m sure you’ll want it back.”

Joshua began to shake his head. “No. No, I’m a fisherman. You keep it and use it. And then pass it down to your son. Something like that should be a family heirloom.” He looked down. Little Joshua had fallen asleep.

“Why… Why thank you, Joshua. I will do as you suggest. Thank you.”




Ozark Retreat - Part II - Epilog

It didn’t take long for Brady’s group, with the cruise ship residents’ help, to erect the two steel Quonset style buildings they dismantled in Branson and brought with them.

Brady and the Captain talked again. It wasn’t difficult to hammer out a mutual aid agreement. Brady’s group, and the other retreat groups in the MAG would trade fresh produce and meat to supplement the ship’s gardens. They would also arm several of the residents, just in case more trouble developed, and as an aid to hunting. One of the first animals to make a comeback had been feral hogs and razorbacks. The shotguns the ship had weren’t doing that well on them.

The residents of the ship would provide frozen seafood to the MAGs, if a semi with a reefer trailer could be found. Brady told the Captain that it wouldn’t be a problem. Brady had already found three. Two were being used for refrigerated storage at the retreat. The other would be used for the round trips carrying food between the areas. If they could find a fourth, they would just swap filled trailers each trip. They would split the fuel usage.

As the weeks passed, and then months, the populations of the ship and the various Ozark retreats merged and inter-married. Life would go on.

End ********

Copyright 2006
Jerry D Young

 

[45-70]

A great sequel to part 1 of the story. Again, thanks for the entertaining read Jerry.

 

[SWAMPMASTER]

I agree one of my favorites part 1 and part 2 Thanks for the good reading material

 

[hotfarmboy1]

Very good story, I loved reading it. I could hardly stop once I started, I was hooked!

+1